Bombs and ideals—the two are allied when hope has lost politics and politics has lost hope. This story starts on a street in St. Petersburg, Russia, on March 13, 1881.

That day, someone threw a bomb from a food stall. Czar Alexander II was riding his carriage not far from the Palace. Explosions were heard. The royal vehicle was destroyed, the horses and guards wounded. But the Czar himself escaped injury. He even calmly addressed the v